Attachments
Refugee and IDPs, Cash for COVID-19
Displaced communities are disproportionately affected by COVID-19. Refugees and IDPs are among the first victims of COVID-19’s socio-economic consequences as (a) the economy slows down, (b) greater restrictions of movement limit opportunities to find livelihoods, (c) discrimination due to their status as ‘on the move’, and (d) limited purchase power to buy hygiene items and access medical treatment. So far in August, UNHCR’s cash programme supported more than 505,000 refugee and IDPs with their daily needs, such as rent, food, medicine clothes and hygiene materials. Direct financial support through cash empowers the families including women and people with disabilities as dignified economic entities, to mitigate the socio-economic impacts of COVID-19, maintain acceptable health and hygiene conditions and a more balanced food intake, contributing to better immunity against diseases.
UNHCR expanded its cash programme beneficiary criteria especially to those affected by COVID-19 through ongoing assessments and included more vulnerable IDPs and refugee families as possible as a response to their growing needs. UNHCR’s preliminary assessments with the partners on ground identified a total of 49,200 refugee and IDP families that need support.
Until the end of August, 55 per cent of the entire targets were reached. UNHCR will continue to support the vulnerable families affected by COVID-19 such as those with underlying protection vulnerabilities exacerbated by the COVID-19 and those living in high-risk IDP hosting sites or overcrowded urban centres.